The latest ‘messing about’ in the workshop has been on two handles for two Spear & Jackson saws. The first saw handle to be ‘re-modelled’ belongs to the 10” S&J Brass Backed Tenon saw I mentioned in the previous blog entry, [mistakenly as a 12”]

and my 8” ‘Steel Backed’ S&J Dovetail saw, 20ppi. The 8” Dovetail handle has 3 saw nuts, but only on the left hand side. The third screws into the steel back!

Both saws are fitted with the S&J patented ‘NON BREAK HANDLE’ -

The handle on the left has been re-worked- but not much. This is because the non break feature gets in the way. So I opted to simple give it a nice ‘Lambs Tongue’ and a general clean up. The same goes for the handle on the right.

The next photo shows the non break feature on the top of the handle-

and at the bottom of the handle-

The saw plate has had a bit of a clean up to show the etch & stamping up better.

The Dovetail saw handle being marked out for the Lambs Tongue re-shaping procedure!

John,Delighted to see you saving these lovely old saws. There is something unique and seductive about old English tools, machinery, and rifles/shotguns. (I confess to being in awe of Farquarson, Deeley and Edge, Webly, Martini, and Fraser single shot falling block rifles) I’m not sure precisely what this quality is, but it has to do with the design of things in steel and iron and wood that is easily recognizable as English. (Or, in the case of Daniel Fraser’s rifles, Scottish) Sturdy, purposeful, yet carefully designed. Worth saving… and admiring.

Hi RogerThank you for your kind comments. I confess that I probably only know which way to point the shotguns you mention- but the sentiment is the same. I look for good design in anything and everything. I don’t know if I’m just getting older or just tired of this ‘throw it away’ society that we live in that I take pleasure in tools, techniques and skills that according to popular belief have no place in the modern world?